The National Hockey League has fined Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen $2,000 for a second violation of Rule 64 on diving and embellishment. The penalty stems from an incident during a game against the Ottawa Senators on November 11. This marks his second offense of the season, following a warning for an earlier infraction against the Vancouver Canucks on October 16.
Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the league announced on November 21. The fine was triggered by Rantanen's second citation of the season, issued for an incident at 1:09 of the third period in a game against the Ottawa Senators on November 11.
Rantanen's first offense occurred during NHL Game No. 68 against the Vancouver Canucks on October 16, resulting in a warning from the NHL Hockey Operations Department. Rule 64 aims to penalize players and teams for repeatedly diving or embellishing to draw penalties, with fines assessed on a graduated scale. A third offense would incur a $3,000 fine, a fourth $4,000, and subsequent violations $5,000 each. Fines for head coaches are tied to cumulative team infractions, with four fines leading to the coach's first penalty.
The NHL Hockey Operations Department tracks all games, logs penalties, and flags uncalled incidents deserving of sanctions. Rantanen's fine proceeds will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. This disciplinary action underscores the league's efforts to maintain fair play by addressing repeated embellishment.
